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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557799">3 Step Disaster</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hielo/pseuds/Hielo'>Hielo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Clack, Cloud has some Roommates but they don't play a major part, Crisis Core Era (Compilation of FFVII), Filling the gaps between some scenes, He tries so hard, Literal Fanboy Cloud, M/M, Pining, Poor little Cloud, Secret Crush, Semi-illustrated Fanfic, Slow Burn, Zack Fair &amp; Cloud Strife Friendship, zakkura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:00:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557799</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hielo/pseuds/Hielo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When would Cloud finally get the chance to prove himself? </p><p>To show what he was made of? </p><p>Maybe he could leave a lasting impression on future missions.<br/>Be it with his idol or his best friend.</p><p>But why was it becoming harder and harder being a friend at all?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Zack Fair/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Actually, the shaking was the worst part. Or the sound of the engines. Or maybe it was the oppressive narrowness of the bus.</p><p>Especially in the stony area around the last foothills of the Mt. Nibel, he was really afraid that he would generously distribute his breakfast over himself and the young man opposite him. Although he had not been able to eat much before his departure, his mother Claudia would not be herself if she had not argued the one or other piece of bread with egg into her stubborn son.</p><p>So the road to his new life in Midgar, which he had just made together with a busload of ambitious young people from the western regions of the world, was paved with nausea and rubble. Not very festive and heroic, thought Cloud.</p><p>But at the latest when he finally made it to SOLDIER, he could return to Nibelheim as a hero. As pleasant as the goose bumps at this thought were, they were accompanied by doubts about the challenge ahead. In a few days they would arrive in Midgar and start their training. Cloud knew from the son of the general store, who had left Nibelheim a few years ago, that even the simple training of the infantry was hard and unforgivable. Weak elements were quickly sorted out and sent back to their provincial nests.</p><p>As the largest employer in the world, ShinRa Inc. could certainly afford to be picky about their military. Especially now that the war with Wutai was in its final stages and thanks to the press Sephiroth had become the role model for thousands of young people.</p><p> </p><p>Sephiroth</p><p> </p><p>The name alone commanded respect. A man that could only exist once. A strong hero.</p><p>Since Cloud had read the report about him in the newspaper and admired the posters, he saw in the SOLDIER First Class a chance to finally leave behind his weak, failing self and become someone who was able to protect others. A chance to prove himself.</p><p>He thought back melancholically to Nibelheim, to his mother and to Tifa. He missed the girl next door very much, even though she certainly had already stopped thinking about him. They had never been friends, but the unmistakable heartbeat that he had felt in her presence since childhood was a more than clear indication that he was taking the step for her too. To keep the promise he had made her last night.</p><p>Disgruntled, he closed his eyes, tried to suppress the nausea that was coming back and to concentrate.</p><p>Soon they would arrive in Midgar.</p><p> </p><p>                                                          </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Step One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Strife! Lights out! Now!"<br/>
"I just have to go to the bathroom!<br/>
"This is the fourth time and it's two in the morning, I swear you'll have my sword right in your face!"<br/>
Cloud slipped out of his bed carefully, turned out the lights again and tried to maneuver his way through the room in the semi-darkness.<br/>
His roommate, Wailer, was right; it was two o'clock in the morning, the alarm would ring in three hours, and Cloud had nothing better to do than to keep his nerves under control by going to the toilet multiple times.<br/>
At least the other two boys from their room were on a mission lasting several days near the Corel reactor, so he didn't have to fear any scolding triads from Luke and Ramirez. Not that it would bother him much.<br/>
Thoughtfully, Cloud observed the ceiling of his bunk bed after sneaking back under the warm sheets a few minutes later.<br/>
Tomorrow, he and Wailer would head north to Modeoheim. Support squad for the Turks and SOLDIER.<br/>
Cloud was glad to finally be able to take part in a field mission again; the last, bigger missions he had either had to sit out due to a suspension or he was only stationed in Midgar and the ShinRa Tower.<br/>
Could the assignment have had something to do with the escort mission of Dr. Rayleigh from a few months ago?<br/>
Cloud sighed.</p><p>In the year and a half he had been working for ShinRa's military, he had grown up faster than he had expected. He had quickly learned that there were consequences to ignoring orders or choosing the wrong words at the wrong time.<br/>
And that failure or weakness was not welcome.<br/>
Still, Cloud wished to be challenged more, and time and time again he felt left out. Wailer, on the other hand, was recruited by the Air Force, Luke would soon be promoted to commander, and Ramirez was to join the Navy in Junon next year. Only Cloud remained in the infantry and waited for his chance to take the SOLDIER third class exam. But until now all his requests to participate had been ignored, or dismissed with a 'try again in a few years, boy'.<br/>
Maybe Modeoheim was a chance to make an impression, after all a member of SOLDIER was supposed to lead the mission. A childish grin sneaked onto Cloud's lips and he pulled the blanket over his face in shame.<br/>
Inside, he wished for nothing more than that it would be the great Sephiroth. His attention was like a knightly accolade and maybe this could be the first rung on the career ladder towards SOLDIER. And at some point Cloud would go on missions together with Sephiroth, as friends and comrades.<br/>
He rolled excitedly from side to side, not paying attention to his wriggling, and kicked against the bed above him.<br/>
"STRIFE!"</p><p> </p><p>After Cloud and Wailer had joined the morning roll call and received their equipment, they made their way to the airfield from where the helicopter was to take off.<br/>
The boy from Nibelheim was glad that Wailer would pilot the celestial vehicle, even though he did not believe his comrade would be considerate of his motion sickness. Especially not with the strong winds of the northern continent.<br/>
But he felt at least a little better if he knew that a familiar face would be at the controls.<br/>
"Have you ever been near the crater?", Cloud asked as he tried to keep up just behind Wailer. The other man's long legs allowed big steps, which Cloud could only reach with two smaller ones. In general, Wailer was a tall man, but except that he was from Midgar's Sector 3, an ambitious soldier, and a few years older than he appeared to be, Cloud knew nothing about his roommate.<br/>
However, he didn't think that was a bad thing either. Making friends was not one of his strong points and as long as you could rely on each other as a team, this kind of relationship was enough for him.<br/>
"No. You?", Wailer replied to Cloud's question and put on his helmet, taking care not to damage his helicopter headset.<br/>
The boy shook his head and covered it with his helmet as well. He had never left his home town.<br/>
With a metallic grinding the elevator door opened and a sharp wind whistled around their ears. In front of the two soldiers stood one of the modern ShinRa helicopters and Cloud could see from the corner of his eye how Wailer grinned.<br/>
"Sit in, I'm going to do a short check-up. The Turk should be here soon, too," he said and swung himself into the cockpit. A rhythmic click sounded, occasionally interrupted by static noise and beeps. Instead of giving his nausea the upper hand now, Cloud preferred to stand next to the door and check his weapon, enjoying the last few minutes of fresh air.<br/>
So it was all about investigating the ghost town of Modeoheim. Supposedly the former SOLDIER first class Genesis and Professor Hollander had fled there and went after their schemes, of which Cloud didn't know much.<br/>
As a simple infantryman he fortunately didn't have to.</p><p>
 
</p><p> </p><p>The Turks, on the other hand, were more than just creepy to Cloud.<br/>
Officially, they were a special unit, similar to SOLDIER, operating under the name 'Department of General Affairs', over which Heidegger was in command.<br/>
Men and women in stern black suits and with even sterner faces. Cold, unemotional and perfect; at least that was Cloud's impression of them. However, he also remembered a fleeting encounter with a relaxed redhead who had spoken with a somewhat absent-minded grin to a bald man, probably also a Turk. But it was this very grin that seemed to be the most threatening thing Cloud had ever seen in his young life.<br/>
Cloud's superior at the military academy had explained to him and the other infantrymen that the Turks were responsible for the security of the company and kept an eye out for suitable candidates for SOLDIER. Underneath the surface, however, everyone knew that espionage, blackmail and often murder were far more common tasks for the unit.<br/>
He was hoping not to run into redhead Turk today.<br/>
But far more interesting was the question about the member of SOLDIER who would be part of the mission.<br/>
When they had received their instructions in the morning, the name Zack Fair had been mentioned and Cloud's little dream bubble had burst extremely brutally. Not the great Sephiroth, but at least a first class SOLDIER. He was sure that he had heard in a business message about the promotion of a Zack Fair to first class, but a face was missing in his memories.</p><p>"I hope it works out anyway," he murmured and with a click put the magazine back into his gun.<br/>
"Hey Strife, come on, let's go.<br/>
We'll collect the Turk and the SOLDIER in the slums of Sector 5," Wailer shouted after another static noise had died down.<br/>
Cloud climbed into the helicopter, pressed a button and the door closed as the flying machine swayed off the ground. Instantly, Cloud felt his stomach turn and he quickly sat down on one of the four empty seats, strapped himself in and prayed that his breakfast would not see the light of day again.<br/>
"Don't throw up in here, or we'll both get in a lot of trouble. You goddamn wimp."<br/>
"I'll pull myself together," Cloud crouched and closed his eyes with concentration.<br/>
The way to the slums was not very long, but Wailer had to fly many curves to avoid the connecting pillars between the plate and the slums, which did absolutely nothing to help the young infantryman's motion sickness.<br/>
So he hardly noticed how they reached the ground and two men sat down across from him, and only when the door closed with a loud rumble did he dared to look.<br/>
One of them was dressed in the typical Turk's black, with back-combed, dark hair tied together in a little ponytail. His face was as serious and stern as Cloud had expected, though less cold-blooded and more bureaucratically detached.<br/>
The other was probably Zack Fair, first class SOLDIER. His whole appearance seemed to be the opposite of the Turks: relaxed, friendly, unsorted but no less professional. Next to him leaned a sword, which he held on to the hilt with one hand. Something seemed to bother him, because he had pushed his lower lip forward and kept giving the Turk next to him a punishing look.</p><p><br/>
Cloud felt his heart begin to beat with nervousness. It was the first time he had ever sat directly opposite a First. He would have loved to start a conversation, but all of a sudden the atmosphere in the helicopter was too tense for Cloud to dare.<br/>
Apart from that, small talk was not welcome during a mission and two superiors were sitting in front of him.<br/>
He thanked ShinRa for the helmets with the digital visors, which hid his staring skillfully.<br/>
Something about this Zack fascinated him.<br/>
Not at all like Sephiroth fascinated him, nobody would reach this level so easily. The black-haired SOLDIER was obviously only a few years older than Cloud himself, in top shape and at the peak of his career.<br/>
The only thing that seemed to be missing was popularity, but if he had only been part of the first class for a few months, that too was probably not long in coming.<br/>
The infantryman was sure to read soon about Zack in the company's internal magazines and gossip papers, because he definitely had the right optical characteristics for that.<br/>
Lost, he continued to stare at the splendid specimen of what he himself would love to be and wondered how long it would take for him to become like that.<br/>
The digging in his thoughts and what-if scenarios distracted Cloud from his nausea to such an extent that he was sure Wailer would ask at any moment why he wasn't holding his stomach whimpering as usual.</p><p>

</p><p>After a few hours of flight, Zack's mood had improved and he had an energetic conversation with the Turk, whose name had turned out to be Tseng.<br/>
From time to time one could hear a little cursing from the cockpit, but that wasn't unusual for Wailer.<br/>
Cloud, on the other hand, noticed very clearly how the flight situation was getting worse and he tried his best to keep his composure. A fleeting glance out of the window told him that they were in the middle of a blizzard.<br/>
On the one hand this meant that they would probably reach their destination soon, but on the other hand it meant that it had to be difficult for Wailer to keep control of the helicopter.<br/>
"Sir, the controls are barely responding," the pilot shouted strained into the hold where the rest of the crew was sitting.<br/>
Immediately after the warning, a loud creaking sound was heard first, followed by a sharp metallic bang. A huge jolt went through the vehicle and Cloud desperately held on to the handles next to him while Tseng freed himself from his seat and fought his way into the cockpit against the gravity.<br/>
"Keep calm!", he ordered Wailer and sat down next to him in the co-pilot position.<br/>
That's all Cloud noticed of the action at the control console, his mind was too busy not to completely fall into a panic mode. He was sure his life would soon come to a quick and premature end, somewhere in the icy glaciers of the North.<br/>
As much as he wanted to scream, his body was so cramped that nothing but a few weak sobbing sounds came over his lips.<br/>
But then there was a short touch on his leg that forced him to open his eyes.<br/>
"Hey buddy, don't worry. Tseng will drop us off in one piece, believe me", Zack said and grinned strainedly, also clinging to a handle above the door "And your teammate can handle it, I'm sure!"<br/>
Cloud just nodded.<br/>
Such an embarrassment.<br/>
The SOLDIER had to comfort him, because he was shaking like a child at every little thing.<br/>
That stupid weakness.<br/>
Suddenly an 'WATCH OUT!' was shouted from the front, followed by a brutal impact that knocked the infantryman's consciousness out of his head.</p><p>How much time had passed, Cloud couldn't tell with certainty as he carefully opened his eyes and slowly but surely sorted his mind again.<br/>
From close range, he could hear Zack's voice calling for him, Tseng and Wailer.<br/>
A clear sign that he was still alive. Carefully, he tried to straighten up, noticing a sharp pain in his side.<br/>
Probably some ribs were injured and bruises must have been caused by the emergency landing, too, but arms and legs were fortunately still complete and functional. As was his neck.<br/>
"No reception...", Tseng grumbled and put his cell phone back into his back pocket.<br/>
Meanwhile Cloud took care of Wailer, who was crouching next to him but had got away unharmed, too.<br/>
A grumpy 'I'm fine' confirmed the assumption and the two young men quickly stood on both legs again.<br/>
"At least we are all still in one piece. We'll be alright", Zack said encouragingly, whereupon Tseng briefly let out a hint of a smile.<br/>
"Fortunately for us...", he replied "...we have someone in the group who knows this rustic terrain."<br/>
Cloud wondered for a moment if he was referring to himself. He could not imagine that a first-class SOLDIER could come from a similar nest as Nibelheim, nor could a high-ranking Turk.<br/>
The gray, steep peaks of Mt. Nibel came to his mind and what dangers they held.<br/>
As a child he had often retreated to the foot of the mountain, at first only when the circle of friends around Tifa seemed too silly to him, and later when he was training to fight to be reasonably prepared for ShinRa.<br/>
"Yeah yeah, I'm a country boy, I get it."<br/>
This actually came from a shoulder shrugging Zack, and Cloud was more than surprised. Perhaps this common ground provided a good starting point for a conversation. Where was Zack from?<br/>
"Well...", Tseng then started again in a serious voice "If we hadn't crashed, we would have reached Modeoheim already. We have to hurry and make up for the lost time."<br/>
"Fine! Then follow me," it came from Zack, who immediately picked up speed and strutted ahead bravely.</p><p>The group made its way continuously through the snow-covered mountain landscape of the north.<br/>
Occasionally they were attacked by monsters, but they were no obstacle to Zack and his loyal sword.<br/>
Cloud, who did his best to stay just behind the SOLDIER, had his gun on standby to provide assistance if it was needed.<br/>
He watched Zack attentively, studying his movements, his techniques. Cloud knew that he himself was not bad with a sword, but he immediately saw that being ShinRa's elite required more than pure talent or a slight aptitude.<br/>
Zack's strokes were powerful but flexible; he was swift and willing to take risks when necessary.<br/>
Also his handling of various materia was not to be underestimated; so every now and then lightning or fireballs flew between him and the monsters. More than just fascinating, because unlike someone like Sephiroth, Zack seemed more approachable...human even and that made it somehow more difficult for Cloud to start a conversation.</p><p>

</p><p>After they had overcome some hills, Cloud noticed how Wailer and Tseng were falling behind further and further, especially the muscular pilot had to be careful not to disappear completely behind a wall of snow.<br/>
"Hey! Don't stay too far behind," Zack shouted at Wailer, and probably the Turk as well, and then turned to Cloud, who just overtook him by a few steps "At least someone can keep up."<br/>
The infantryman's heart missed a beat for a moment. Finally, an opportunity, and he hadn't had to do anything.<br/>
"Well, I'm a country boy too," he said calmly, but kept on walking to keep his nervousness at bay.<br/>
Zack's eyes grew large and he grinned curiously.<br/>
"Really? Where from?"<br/>
"Nibelheim," Cloud replied softly and almost embarrassed.<br/>
The SOLDIER immediately took up this uncertainty and laughed briefly but heartily.<br/>
"And you?", Cloud then asked to interrupt Zack's chuckle.<br/>
Even if Nibelheim was nothing special and he had few positive memories of the place, it was still his hometown.<br/>
Zack, on the other hand, rubbed his chin and then proudly replied, "Me? Gongaga."<br/>
And then it was Cloud, and he was the one to laugh. That name was too much to hide his excitement any longer and it felt good to be able to be light-hearted again for a tiny moment after a long time.<br/>
The reason for his laughter, however, suddenly found the situation no longer funny at all.<br/>
"Hey, what's so funny? You know Gongaga?"<br/>
"No, but the name alone sounds like it's way off the mark."<br/>
The euphoria continued to carry Cloud through the conversation, although he became more reserved with Zack's suddenly serious tone.<br/>
He sensed that his counterpart was as protective of his homeland as he was of his.<br/>
"Ditto Nibelheim."<br/>
"Like you've been there!" Cloud blundered, seemingly having completely forgotten that he was talking to a superior officer.<br/>
"I wasn't, but there's a reactor, right?"<br/>
Cloud nodded; he knew exactly what Zack would say next.<br/>
"A maco-reactor outside Midgar usually means..."<br/>
"...that there's absolutely nothing else going on there," the two young soldiers ended at the same time and immediately burst out laughing.<br/>
This conversation was as natural and casual as Cloud hadn't experienced in years. Even with his mother, he had rarely laughed so much. His ribs were still hurting and he was talking to someone who had achieved everything he might never will be able to achieve, still the boy from Nibelheim enjoyed every second he and Zack laughed so wonderfully together.<br/>
And he would take the memories he would collect on this mission like precious treasures.<br/>
"Good news, Tseng! Me and...", Zack shouted to the Turk, who still climbed up the hill a little battered.<br/>
The SOLDIER turned to the infantryman next to him, who took off his helmet and introduced himself face to face.<br/>
"Cloud."<br/>
"Me and Cloud are both backwate experts. Oh, yeah!"</p><p>No one dared to speak.<br/>
The only noise was the regular cutting of the rotor blades through the icy air.<br/>
Outside it was slowly getting night and the sky was coloured red by the light of the setting sun. Exhausted, Cloud watched the spectacle, but then turned his gaze to the other figures in the helicopter that would take them back to Midgar.<br/>
Next to him sat Wailer, eyes closed and hands covered, blood slowly running through the bandages.<br/>
Behind them lay one of the targets, Professor Hollander, bound and incapacitated. Another blot on Cloud's career, he had not been able to stop him after all.<br/>
Tseng had done that conscientiously, despite the violent blows he had taken on himself.<br/>
Even now, the Turk sat in the cockpit with the pilot and talked to several bosses on the phone.<br/>
And the name Angeal was mentioned again and again.<br/>
But what really worried Cloud was the young man in front of him.<br/>
Zack looked out of the helicopter window as if in a trance, on his left cheek a deep bloody cut and on his right a huge sword, of which handle he clasped convulsively. His eyes were red and shone treacherously in the sunset.<br/>
Cloud was sure that Angeal must have died.<br/>
And the way Zack looked now, he had a not insignificant involvement in the death of his mentor. The infantryman wished he could do something, but he knew very well that every word would be too much.<br/>
So he, too, looked out of the window tiredly and was glad that his endlessly aching body and the heartbreaking sight of Zack Fair kept his motion sickness at bay.<br/>
Even if he would trade the nausea for the terrible stinging in his chest at any time.</p><p>Several hours passed in silence until the helicopter landed.<br/>
Not at the docks at ShinRa Tower but at the same church in the slums of sector 5 where they picked up Zack and Tseng the previous day.<br/>
The door opened and the SOLDIER jumped out, while Cloud looked at him a little confused.<br/>
"Shouldn't you...", he started, but Zack shook his head briefly.<br/>
"It's okay, I'll come by HQ later. Take care of yourself first, all right? You are pretty worn out as well" Zack replied, pointing to the wounds on Cloud's side and on his shoulder. Tired, the boy confirmed the order.<br/>
"Oh..."<br/>
Zack rummaged around in his pants for a moment and pulled out a small note. He then pressed it into Cloud's hand and forced a smile that almost tore the infantryman's heart into a thousand pieces.<br/>
"Here. Write as soon as you feel better. I'm counting on you!"<br/>
He turned and slowly trotted away towards the church gate. The door closed and there was a frightening silence again.<br/>
Confused and shocked, Cloud stared at the piece of paper in the palm of his hand, on which a phone number had been scribbled in impure writing.<br/>
His blood froze in his veins at the sight and he couldn't help but let the big, ugly tears that had gathered over the last few hours run free.<br/>
Next to him Wailer sighed exhausted.<br/>
"You wimp..."</p><p>

</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for reading~<br/>Hopefully you're enjoying everything up until now~</p><p>A new contestant entered the ranks of Clouds "People I admire from afar"!<br/>We will see how this will turn out.</p><p>I hope noone expected this to be a 'fun ride'...<br/>I'm sticking mostly to canon after all xD</p><p>See you next chapter~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Step Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>How could it be so hard to push a little button?<br/>This tiny button, just big enough for his thumb, had been making fun of him for days, simply not allowing Cloud to use it. The 27 unfinished messages in his drafts folder laughed at him in equal measure. What kind of coward was he, anyway? Zack had given him his phone number for a reason, Cloud was sure of that. Then why was it so difficult for him to write a simple email and tell Zack what happened after Modeoheim? The SOLDIER had asked for it after all.</p><p><br/>In two days, he would finally be released from the hospital. He was fed up with the lime-white, sterile rooms, and besides, he felt bad about occupying a bed, even though he could rest in his quarters. At least there, doctors, researchers and ShinRa-Intells would not swarm around him all the time like bees swarm around a flower. Furthermore he would not have to bear the disturbing sight of Wailer anymore. His comrade lay a few beds away, staring out of the window into the cloudy sky. The memory of the monsters, which hurled one fire spell after the other in the direction of the two infantrymen, was still very vivid in Cloud's mind.</p><p>One of the burning bullets had hit Wailer's rifle extremely unfortunate, whereupon it exploded within seconds. A bloodcurdling scream and the disgusting stench of burnt skin and leather had followed. Cloud was sure that Wailer would leave the company soon. A pilot without hands was as useless to ShinRa as a soldier without loyalty, and Wailer was definitely not irreplaceable. It was sad to see the otherwise so proud young man, now cowering in the bed without any movement. ShinRa would certainly give him a few thousand Gil as compensation, but Cloud didn't know if that was enough for proper prostheses.</p><p><br/>If you don't perform well anymore, you will be sorted out.<br/>Even though the company otherwise took good care of its subordinates, it was all the more brutal when it came to the usefulness.<br/>Cloud shivered and slid further into the pillows, pressing his cell phone to his chest. Had Sephiroth been there, none of this would have happened.<br/>The boy from Nibelheim was happy to be able to leave the infirmary soon.</p><p>A few days later, Cloud still hadn't contacted Zack and his guilty conscience was becoming a burden. On the other hand, the boy was almost certain that Zack had long forgotten him.<br/>He was simply too unimportant for the contrary to be the case.<br/>Unfortunately, Sephiroth's attention moved away again this way and his cowardice, especially in social situations, gnawed endlessly at his self-confidence to be able to join SOLDIER at any time.</p><p>In late autumn the new third class cadets of SOLDIER received their attendance and the infamous speech of the First. Since Cloud was also to transfer to another regiment, his part of the infantry was allowed to attend the ceremony and he was very curious to see who of the Firsts would give the speech. Since Angeal, who usually held this task, was no longer there and Genesis was not mentioned at all within the company, only Sephiroth and Zack were left. Maybe Cloud would have a little luck and could watch his great hero giving the new soldiers courage. After all, such a thing should be done by a role model.</p><p><br/>But while he was standing at attention with his comrades, a familiar, friendly face marched past him, took him out of the corner of his eye and patted him on the shoulder.<br/>It was Zack.<br/>And he looked different.<br/>"So you wanna join SOLDIER? Good luck!" he mumbled to him with a cheeky grin before continuing on his way.<br/>Cloud, who had lost all color from his face, followed the black-haired man unsteadily with his eyes before blood shot into his cheeks with one blow. What had the last weeks done to Zack?<br/>His features had become a bit more angular, there was a small scar on his cheek, which he had taken from Modeo, and his hair was now a bit longer, more scattered and, with one strand as an exception, combed backwards. He seemed...more mature.<br/>And even more amazing, he hadn't forgotten Cloud. Had recognized him under his helmet and remembered that this simple little infantryman wanted to become part of SOLDIER.<br/>A wave of appreciation broke over Cloud and he couldn't help but hang on Zack's lips as he formed encouraging words.<br/>He had already completely forgotten that until a few moments ago he had wished someone else would speak in Zack's place.</p><p>
  
</p><p>The weeks flew by. The turn of the year came and went and Cloud had stayed in Midgar over the holidays, just like in his first year with ShinRa. He had vowed not to return to Nibelheim until he had become a member of SOLDIER. Nevertheless he had written a loving letter to his mother, told her about the last, smaller operations and wished her a happy new year.<br/>Just the usual.</p><p><br/>Normally he did not tell his family about his missions since they were rarely special. But these few assignments were worth remembering, because Cloud, thanks to the change of regiment, was now working more and more under Zack.<br/>The two young men had no problems resuming the carefree nature of their first conversation and Cloud drew much energy and confidence from this supportive friendship. He enjoyed the chats, the joint fights and the laughter that accompanied almost every assignment. Cloud had even been able to apologize to Zack for not sending a message, but his friend had looked very confused at first and then gave Cloud a playful head-butt - along with a 'You worry too much!'</p><p>As the summer slowly approached, Cloud kept receiving reports that Genesis was still alive and on the hunt for Professor Hollander. The crazy old man was therefore transferred to the high security facility in Junon.<br/>Zack didn't deny the rumors about the ex-SOLDIER, but Cloud didn't get a confirmation from his friend either. The fact that there were riots in the executive level of the elite unit was the only thing that leaked out to Cloud.</p><p>One late afternoon in August, Cloud was brooding over some books in the military canteen, taking notes on various sword techniques. Even though he was now equipped with a rifle and baton, he wanted to file applications to use a blade weapon as soon as possible. He toyed with the idea of asking Zack for a few hours of training, but kept dismissing it because he was sure the SOLDIER had enough to do in the current confusion.</p><p>It was very quiet in the canteen at this time. Outside mealtimes, it was easier to pursue one's thoughts here than in the library, which was often packed with research members. Thus, in another corner of the room, two second class SOLDIERS were sitting quietly, talking about one of their past missions, otherwise Cloud was alone. Only the cafeteria women were busily scurrying around behind the counter, so that they could later serve the troops a meal.<br/>Cloud didn't mind the food, but he often heard complaints from Luke and in the past also from Wailer about the consistency of the meals and about the lack of a beer at the end of the day.</p><p>Secretly, the boy from Nibelheim was happy about the ban on alcohol within the headquarters. Not only because he himself was prevented from being tempted, but also because his comrades were much more relaxed with him when they were sober. In a way he was glad to have left his quarrelsome nature behind at the military academy. At least that way he was left alone and he did not attract attention in a negative way. Once he was SOLDIER, he would get the respect he deserved soon enough. Until then it was a matter of staying low and following rules.</p><p>"There you are!"<br/>A strong pat on the shoulder gave Cloud a short 'Uff' and to his surprise he found a good-humored Zack Fair behind him.<br/>"I've been looking for you, there was no one in your quarters. Almost ran through the whole building," he explained.<br/>Cloud smiled briefly, delighted at the encounter. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the two second class SOLDIERs taking their seats again. Apparently they had just saluted to Zack.<br/>"Excuse me, I just wanted to read something here. I had no idea you were looking for me so energetically," Cloud said, while Zack made himself comfortable.<br/>"Hey, I was about to put up some posters," joked the SOLDIER, making a dramatic gesture, "But never mind, close your eyes!"<br/>Suddenly Zack became very fidgety and rummaged restlessly around in his pocket. Cloud looked confused and hesitantly closed his eyes. What was that all about?<br/>More rustling, followed by a euphoric "Okay, now look!“</p><p>As he blinked slowly, he saw a small, silver ear pin in front of him.<br/>"Happy birthday, buddy! It's nothing special but, no kidding, it was the only thing I could think of. After all, you only turn 16 once."<br/>In shock and surprise, Cloud stared at Zack and the present in turn, before saying, "You're crazy!"<br/>"Yes, thank you very much, I'll take it back with me," snorted the SOLDIER, but Cloud immediately cut into his words.<br/>"No no, I'm very happy. Really. I...just wasn't expecting any presents at all..."<br/>Actually, he hadn't expected anything. For him his birthday was over when Ramirez and Luke wished him a short 'Happy Birthday' in the morning. He hadn't prepared for more than that.<br/>Just a letter from his mother, that's all he expected..<br/>But a gift? From a friend?<br/>"Thank you, Zack," he muttered somewhat embarrassed, and Zack scratched the back of his head just as awkwardly.</p><p><br/>"I'd really like to take you out for a walk or something, too. But I have to go to Sephiroth right away. All hell is breaking loose over here," Zack sighed and rose again "Be glad that you are not with us yet."<br/>"Tell me...," Cloud then began very quietly, "Do you think I can have a conversation with Sephiroth sometime? When things calm down?"<br/>Zack laughed briefly and took Cloud into a headlock.<br/>"Oh, yeah, the great idol, all right. You're not the first one to ask me for something like that," the young SOLDIER snorted and messed up Cloud's straw-blond mane, "I'm sure I can put in a good word for you soon."<br/>After one last 'see ya' and a friendly pat on the head, Zack disappeared from the canteen.<br/>Cloud then sat in his seat for a while, grinning dreamily and examining the pin in his hand.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Brutal silence.<br/>No calls went through, no messages were returned.<br/>For a whole week, the young infantryman heard and saw nothing at all of the First Class SOLDIER, until Luke finally put an extremely tacky postcard on his bunk. Just in time, because Cloud was already seriously worried.<br/>It showed a badly drawn Chocobo with sunglasses on a sandy beach. Above the bird was a 'Sunny Side Up' sign in screaming red. A sight that could make you sick. Cloud pulled his mouth convulsively so as not to burst out laughing as he picked up the card and read the message on the back. In it, Zack wrote something about 'forced standby duty', from the Costa del Sol, about a lack of reception and about gigantic boredom. But what Cloud was most happy about was the P.S:</p><p>'Can't you just file for a vacation or something?'</p><p>Luke, who of course caught his roommate's naïve grin, poked him in the back with his elbow and pulled him out of his dreamy euphoria.<br/>"What's up, Strife? Is your little lady under stress?", the brunette soldier asked jokingly and just put Ramirez' mail on the bunk, even though he wasn't there.<br/>"Nonsense...", Cloud grumbled in reply, and stuck the card to the wall of his sleeping place with a few strips of tape. Next to a photo of his mother and a newspaper article about Sephiroth, "A friend is on vacation."<br/>"You have friends?", the commander teased "But remember that we have to go to Junon the day after tomorrow, understand? I don't want to have to remind you to check your equipment and pack some tranquilizers first."<br/>Cloud just nodded without making any further comment.</p><p><br/>Actually he liked Luke quite a bit. Always a snappy saying on his lips, it was Luke's sworn goal to become an instructor of the infantry. Cloud thought it suited him. The broad cross and high stature expressed a warm but at the same time strict authority that reminded Cloud of Zack's tales about Angeal. Even if they weren't friends, it would get a bit more boring in the small room once Luke was allowed to live on another floor as an instructor. After all, new recruits would quickly slip in to fill the empty beds. It was a constant coming and going, so Cloud was glad to have found a social constant in Zack.</p><p>
  
</p><p>It was not calm at all after Professor Hollander's breakout. Many of the military were still stationed in Junon to control damage, help the residents and repair destroyed technology.<br/>Having spent most of the time during and after the mission leaning uselessly against a wall, Cloud hoped to be of help at least now. Since the crash in the mountains, his motion sickness had worsened dramatically. Even the shortest car journeys, let alone flights sometimes put him out of action for hours. Much to the displeasure of his supervisor. Some time ago, encouraged by Zack's words, he had again asked to take part in the SOLDIER exam. This time his request was rejected on the grounds that he should get his troubled stomach under control first. Much easier said than done, as was demonstrated at the mission in Junon.<br/>Thus Cloud now lay on the bed of the hotel, which had been made available to him and his unit, and brooded.</p><p><br/>Not much positive had happened that day, but his reunion with the suntanned Zack had definitely helped to improve his mood.<br/>Also, the fact that Sephiroth was in Junon made him feel happier.<br/>But the unexpected climax and reason for the intense thinking was a single, small suggestion:<br/>"Hey, let's go out for dinner somewhere when this is over."</p><p>At first, Cloud was simply delighted with his friend's offer and, of course, accepted immediately.<br/>Now that 'this was over,' his imagination ran riot. Had Zack asked him out? A...private meeting? A date?<br/>Immediately all the blood shot to Clouds head and he felt sick again. What was he thinking? Zack was his friend, no more, no less.<br/>Sure, he liked Zack. Everything about the attractive SOLDIER was admirable and Cloud wished for nothing more than to be like him soon. But was that enough to make such an invitation a straightforward rendezvous?<br/>Uncertain, he compared his heartbeat to the excited pounding he knew from his memories of Tifa or his youthful dreams about Sephiroth. But this did not give him a clear result.<br/>When Luke and a few other members of his unit had simply invited themselves, part of him was almost happy. The other part was now lying on the hotel bed thinking too much.</p><p><br/>Although he was unsure whether he would survive an evening with his unit unscathed - even if Zack was there - he eventually struggled into a sitting position and finally got up to take a shower. He didn't have any change of clothes with him, so his uniform would have to suffice as a wardrobe. But when he stood in front of the room mirror, he was plagued by doubts. Why had the other infantrymen had to invite themselves? And why had Zack not said anything against it? I guess it had to mean that it wasn't supposed to be a date.<br/>Cloud's appetite for a drunken Luke, let alone the rest of the Junon squad was limited. Most of the time, such feasts ended in fights and admonitions and Cloud didn't need either of them. Maybe he should just stay in the hotel. Zack certainly wouldn't miss him if he had the other guys with him.</p><p>
  
</p><p>So it ended with Cloud getting dressed up but sitting on the bed, staring at his cell phone in silence.<br/>After a while, there was a faint sound coming from somewhere. But Cloud suspected that it was one of the many pipes connecting this hotel to the one<br/>next door.<br/>Suddenly, accompanied by the sound of shattering glass, a stone about the size of a hand shot past him at a frightening speed. Staring in shock for a moment, the infantryman sprinted to the window opposite the bed and was more than ready to give the snotty brat who had done this a few salty words about not trowing rocks at hotel windows.<br/>Instead of a little boy, a SOLDIER first class, well known to him, stood by the fire escape in the side alley next to the hotel and, himself completely shocked, held his hands in front of his face.<br/>"What's this all about?" Cloud shouted to him, much too confused to question the mere presence of Zack.<br/>"Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to. But you just didn't react either," the man he was talking to barked back, "Hurry up and come!"<br/>Cloud tilted his head.<br/>"Where to?"<br/>"The Northern Crater! Dude, I promised you dinner. So if you're not gonna puke all over me, I'd really like to go now, cause my stomach's in the back of my knees."</p><p>Cloud noticed an excited smile creeping up his face.<br/>Bitterly, he swallowed his concerns, carefully opened the shattered window without cutting himself, and climbed over the fire escape onto the dirty alley. He sighed loudly.<br/>"You do things...", he said calmly and looked around briefly, "Have the others gone ahead already?<br/>The grin on Zack's face widened as they walked onto the main street. He looked a little battered, but that didn't seem to dampen his mood.<br/>The light of the setting sun dazzled Cloud briefly, but his eyes quickly got used to the constant glitter of the vast ocean in front of him.<br/>"They're in some pub, getting drunk at the company's expense. Sephiroth will be happy about the bill, I put his name on it," Zack said almost a bit proudly.<br/>Cloud nearly laughed out loud, but he could just about pull himself together. He would certainly have felt bad if he had made fun of his great hero.</p><p><br/>"Why didn't you go through the door? You only had to ask for me and the poor window would have survived the attack," Cloud asked after they had walked a few meters.<br/>"I gave it a shot, okay?" Zack suddenly responded with wild gestures<br/>"But try to get in anywhere with that thing. They just stared at me and threw me out."<br/>He pointed to the giant sword on his back. And then they had to stop for a second because they couldn't go on laughing.<br/>"Where are we going now? To a fancy restaurant?" Cloud giggled, gasping for breath. Zack winked at him in response.<br/>"Not quite..."</p><p>
  
</p><p>Junon in the late evening was a sight to behold. The sun, which would soon have disappeared completely behind the horizon, bathed the port city in a warm orange and made flashes of light dance across the seemingly endless water. A feeling of deepest awe overcame Cloud as he slowly approached the end of the airfield's launch pad.<br/>"Are you sure we're allowed to be here at all," he asked his companion and looked around to the parked airplanes behind them, "Not that a Gelnika is about to take off and smash us to bits.“<br/>Zack stepped beside him and put down the bag he had picked up from a shop on the way.<br/>"Nah, don't worry. Only helicopters take off today. I was up here with Sephiroth earlier, when someone gave me this info," he said and sat down, dangling his legs over the edge.<br/>"Make yourself comfy."</p><p>Still overwhelmed by the view, Cloud smiled just before he followed Zack's suggestion. For a few moments, the two young men sat silently side by side, listening to the waves breaking at the bottom of the fortress.<br/>"Beautiful...," Cloud murmured, lost in the atmosphere and enjoying the peace and quiet.<br/>Zack replied just as calmly, " Isn't it? Wouldn't have thought a metal block like Junon could be so pretty either. That's why I wanted to come here with you. The beach below us is nice too, but I've heard there are strange mutant fish that hang around there sometimes."<br/>He briefly rummaged in the bag he had brought and took out two metal bowls, cutlery and a bottle of lemonade each.<br/>"No five-star menu, but I swear you won't regret it. It's a family recipe that doesn't even exist in Lower Junon anymore. Kunsel gave me this tip."</p><p>He proudly handed one of the bowls to Cloud, before opening his own and inhaling a delightful hint of the spicy aroma.<br/>Slowly, the warmth of the metal moved into Cloud's hands, but the boy hesitated for a second. A fear began to seethe in the infantryman that all this could disappear from one instant to the next if he made even one wrong decision. The security of the moment seemed far too fleeting, because<br/>he was not used to such a consistency at all.<br/>"You okay? Or are you still feeling sick?"<br/>Cloud shot up when Zack spoke to him and almost dropped the bowl.</p><p>"No, I'm all right. Just thinking a bit," the infantryman replied quickly and then opened the packed food so that Zack would no longer worry. In the bowl were potatoes, peas and fish with sauce, which he had never seen before. It actually smelled very pleasant, even if it didn't look like anything special.<br/>"Tastes good," Cloud said after swallowing the first few bites.<br/>Zack, who had already finished his plate and was now sipping his lemonade, laid back on the ramp and relaxed.<br/>"Right? I know what's good," the SOLDIER boasted and yawned "When are you going back to Midgar?"<br/>Cloud emptied his mouth before answering, "In a few days. We're still busy with repairs and cleanup."<br/>"I see, you must have a lot to do, too, huh?"<br/>Cloud shrugged his shoulders.<br/>"Yeah. I hope I can finally help out and not just stand in the corner and puke like an idiot."</p><p>"Don't beat yourself up, Cloud. It's not your fault if your stomach is bothering you", Zack encouraged him and patted his head affectionately "I can ask the HQ researchers if there's something permanent or whatever."<br/>"No, better not. At the end I will glow in the dark."<br/>The answer was an amused laugh and a cheeky jumble of Cloud's blond mane.<br/>"Hey!" said Zack and he moved a little closer to his friend. His fingers slid gently against Cloud's ear. In an instant everything in the boy tightened and he took a sharp breath. Such a tender touch he had absolutely not expected. His heart was beating like crazy and he hoped Zack would not notice how restless he was becoming. The rest of his food almost fell into the ocean beneath them.<br/>"You're really wearing the pin. I knew it would suit you. You look good with it."<br/>"Of course, you gave it to me after all," Cloud pressed out quietly, noticing his body relaxing again after Zack had retreated.</p><p>A calming silence set in as Cloud finished his meal and opened the second bottle of soda. Just as he was about to thank the noble donor, a phone rang and within seconds Zack was on his feet.<br/>"Yes?..It's always nice to hear from you, you know that...", was the only thing Cloud heard before Zack moved away a bit to be able to have the conversation in privacy. Still, he didn't miss the sound his friend was speaking with. He was different while talking to the person on the other end of the line; more peaceful and loving. A dark thought ran through Cloud's head, causing his heart to flinch until it hurt. To prevent this thought from spreading, he quickly looked back at the ocean where the sun had completely disappeared and tried to listen to the waves.</p><p>"Hey Cloud," it came after a few minutes from Zack, who had walked back to their picnic place and bent down to him "I'm so sorry, but I have to get back to Midgar. I wasn't supposed to leave for another hour or two, but..."<br/>A little confused, Cloud looked up at his friend and his heart took another leap as their eyes met. Earnest concern lay in the face before him.<br/>"Never mind that. Seems really quite serious."<br/>"Serious?", Zack scratched the back of his head embarrassed "Maybe, but so far all I know is that someone special needs my help."<br/>Brotherly, the SOLDIER placed his hands on both of Clouds shoulders.<br/>"But I'm gonna make it up to you, okay? I promise!" he proclaimed.<br/>The infantryman smiled as best he could. Everything hurt.<br/>Zack quickly gathered up his things and ran towards the elevator. Just before he reached the control panel, he turned to his friend again: "Oh, and I'll sort out the hotel window, don't worry!<br/>"You better hurry up," it came back from Cloud and he waved briefly while Zack disappeared into the lower levels.<br/>With one strike, the sea air had become heavy and stuffy, almost taking Cloud's breath away. How naive of him. How naive of him to hope.<br/>Slowly, he sat down again, looking to the horizon where the first stars appeared. He had no energy to return to the hotel. His chest tightened up more and more by the minute. With every thought he was thinking that had to do with that damn phone call.<br/>Slowly a realization began to take hold that put his friendship with Zack in danger.<br/>He was jealous.<br/>And if he was jealous, he had to be in love.</p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading this far!<br/>I hope you are enjoying everything~</p><p>Ho boy...</p><p>I think some of us were at that point, right?</p><p>I loved the little DMW-Scenes with Zack and Cloud in Junon and always found it funny that the rest of Clouds squad just...invited themselves :D Glad I could use it here fittingly.</p><p>Special thanks to my girlfriend cyanbiirds for the coloration of the last image &lt;3</p><p>Well, see you next time on our trip to Nibelheim ;)</p><p>Hielo~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Step Three Part One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I'm so sorry..."</p><p>The cool night air of September announced rain, but Cloud knew that the clouds over Mount Nibel would disperse again. He had not yet forgotten how to feel the weather when he was in the big city. His helmet lay beside him as he knelt on a cliff near his home town and had a thought for his comrade Ramirez.</p><p>If nobody else did.</p><p>He had been a roommate of the soldier who was his age for almost two years, and even though they had never been friends, his death reminded him how cruel this mountain range could be. He could not blame Tifa. How could she have known that the suspension bridge would break? Cloud was just glad that nothing had happened to her, nor to Zack or Sephiroth.</p><p>Besides, he had a moment to himself here, after the first two days of the Nibelheim mission were filled with shame and confusion. The injury inflicted on him by a Genesis replica was still stinging, but thanks to Zack's healing material and a few herbal bandages, he would soon hardly feel it.</p><p>Even more painful, however, was the encounter with Tifa and the conversation he had had with his friend a few hours ago.
He had sworn so firmly that he would not see Tifa again until he was part of SOLDIER.</p><p>But here he was...a simple infantryman, without any special awards or skills.</p><p>A nothing. A nobody.</p><p>And the only person who noticed him wasn't looking at him the same way Cloud looked at him. His heart groaned under all the grief.</p><p>The one person he had dared to tell he was back in town was his mother, and he had made her promise not to tell anyone in the village about him.</p><p>He almost told Zack everything.</p><p>His feelings for him, his feelings for Tifa, which were calling out to him from the farthest corner of his consciousness.<br/>
But the older man seemed insecure himself.</p><p>A rare sight.</p><p>"If only I were SOLDIER...", Cloud had moaned, but it was Zack's response that shocked him.</p><p>"SOLDIER is a cave full of monsters...stay away from it..."</p><p>Accompanied by a deep melancholy that resonated in his voice.<br/>
Even to Cloud's question why Zack hardly ever swung his sword with his sharp side, the SOLDIER had only answered with a tired smile.</p><p>Afterwards a "G' night " had followed and Zack had swung into the bed next to Cloud.
Where were the words of encouragement that Cloud was used to?</p><p>The cheerful voice he so loved to hear?</p><p>Everything in him screamed for attention from Zack, for weeks, for months, and again and again he pushed these feelings aside.</p><p>In contrast to his childhood infatuation he had felt for Tifa in the past, this one was deep and genuine and real. And it felt terrible and beautiful at the same time.</p><p>However, this also led to the decision to end this state as soon as possible if he wanted to hold on to his goal of becoming SOLDIER. This time he wouldn't just run away, at least that was what he had sworn to do.</p><p>Cloud knew that it could be dangerous on Mount Nibel after dark and he neither had his rifle with him nor was he in good shape to face possible monster attacks.</p><p>Nevertheless, he had sneaked out after he was sure Zack was asleep.</p><p>Now that Ramirez was no longer there and Sephiroth had disappeared, at least they had enough beds available.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Cloud spent about two hours attentively at the foot of the familiar mountain path, whose breezes still smelled of Mako just as he remembered them.</p><p>Above him, stars and the moon kept flashing through the feathery cloud cover, making him unsure whether to go back to the hostel or to his mother's house.</p><p>When he made his way back, he decided to take the free bed next to Zack.</p><p>As long as Sephiroth had not yet reappeared, he might be able to spend some peaceful hours with his friend, even if he wanted to lay his cards on the table at the next available opportunity.</p><p>Carefully he slipped out of his jacket and shoes and crawled under the soft blanket. From the bed next to him he heard a regular, quiet snore and he smiled lovingly when he saw Zack's completely relaxed face.</p><p>Of course he overheard the telephone calls Zack was making. Ramirez had told him that it was probably a girl from the slums, with whom the SOLDIER had been meeting for some time.</p><p>Cloud could sense very clearly how much this girl meant to Zack, in the way he spoke to her, and again and again this terrible jealousy gnawed at the 16-year-old's heart.</p><p>He didn't dare to get his hopes up, but he also knew that this emotional state was not sustainable for him sooner or later. Either his friendship with Zack would survive this mission, or he was alone again.</p><p>Either way, for the duration of this mission, Cloud would enjoy every second together with Zack.</p><p> </p><p>"Sephiroth will probably stay here for a while..."</p><p>Zack looked depressed as he climbed the spiral staircase from the basement of the Shinra Mansion, which, somewhat remote from the village, was brittle and slowly rotting away. "Has taken hundreds of books to the laboratory and is brooding away. I hope he is alright."</p><p>Cloud tilted his head a little. Something should be wrong with Sephiroth?</p><p>"Did something happen in the reactor?", the infantryman asked. It had occurred to him that he hadn't talked to Zack about what happened yesterday.</p><p>His friend sighed loudly.</p><p>"Oh...Genesis has appeared, that's why you were attacked by his copies. He said some gibberish about the Jenova project and that Sephiroth was a perfect monster," Zack replied, obviously uncomfortable with the subject, "I didn't get much of it..."</p><p>Cloud watched as his friend did silly laps around the room.</p><p>"Then we'd best leave him alone. He'll know what he's doing."</p><p>Zack nodded.</p><p>"Yeah, you're right." A grin spread across the SOLDIER's lips again. "We can take care of the monster problem in the area until then. That's what we're here for after all."</p><p>"Good idea," Cloud said confidently.</p><p>Before Zack could walk past him and leave the room, Cloud intuitively grabbed his friend's wrist.</p><p>"Wait a minute."</p><p>Zack turned to him in confusion.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Have you thought about it? About dinner with my mother, I mean", the boy asked awkwardly. For this series of embarrassing mails, he could still slap himself or dig himself into the ground.</p><p>"What's there to think about? Sure, I'll come by. After all, mother's food tastes best."</p><p>Cloud's face lit up suddenly as if the sun was rising.</p><p>"Great, that'll make her very happy," he said euphorically, returning Zack's broad grin.</p><p>
  
</p><p>At the entrance to the villa, the paths of friends parted and while Zack set off for the monster-infested areas around Nibelheim, Cloud went to his parents' house.</p><p>He ran brashly into the door and surprised his mother by folding her clothes.</p><p>"Hello, sweetheart, I didn't expect to see you here," she said, without pausing in her task "I thought you were out with your colleagues".</p><p>" Mama, we've got company for dinner," Cloud stammered nervously, took off his helmet, shoulder and knee pads and kicked his boots into a corner of the house.</p><p>With this sentence, Claudia immediately dropped everything without hesitation and toddled curiously to her son, who had meanwhile thrown himself onto his old bed.</p><p>"I wonder who is bringing a girl home? Have you finally dared to ask Tifa? Or is it someone else from work? Did you get yourself a chic big city girl? With my handsome son, no wonder...", she started bombing Cloud, but he pressed a pillow over his face.</p><p>"No, mama..."</p><p>"Why didn't you tell me about this before? I would have written to you long ago. How long has it been going on with you and the girl? I hope she's older than you and can take care of you when your poor country mother can't."</p><p>"Mama...I don't have a girlfriend and it's not Tifa either," Cloud murmured into the pillow and sighed. Mrs Strife pruned when she heard this.</p><p>"It's not that big, mean-looking guy with the cold eyes you used to adore so much as a child, is it? I don't want him here, you understand? He gives me the creeps. Even though I'm happy for you to be working with him."</p><p>"No, Mama. Besides, the big, mean-looking guy is kinda like my boss."</p><p>Cloud sat up and pulled his legs up to his upper body.</p><p> </p><p>"Whom I've invited is my friend and his name is Zack and he's coming to eat with us tonight," he finally said, evading his mother's confused look.</p><p>The cheerful woman lowered her shoulder when she heard the word 'friend' come out of her son's mouth. There was no disappointment in her voice, but a certain dissatisfaction was clearly audible.</p><p>"Oh well, why don't you say that right away", she exclaimed and got up to do her laundry again "But that's nice that you invited a friend".</p><p>"Mama, listen... It's very important to me that Zack is comfortable here, okay?"</p><p>His mother turned to him again, a nightgown in her hand, and looked into her son's eyes, which were very similar to her own.</p><p>Then she dropped the nightgown.</p><p>"You mean...?"</p><p>Blushing, Cloud looked down. He wasn't afraid of his mother's reaction but knew he couldn't hide anything from her. That's why he just nodded briefly.</p><p>"Well, in that case..."</p><p>Mrs. Strife approached Cloud again and tenderly laid her hands on her son's shoulders.</p><p>" Let's make sure he doesn't want to leave here anymore, don't you think?" she said with a fighting expression on her face and pulled her child into a warm, strong embrace.</p><p>She then set about finishing the laundry so she could start cooking as soon as possible.</p><p>"Thank you...", Cloud whispered with a smile.</p><p>
  
</p><p>As the evening slowly approached, there was a knock at the door and when Cloud opened, a seemingly rushed Zack stood there.</p><p>The boy almost laughed at this sight.</p><p>"What happened to you?" he asked with a smile.</p><p>Questioned took a deep breath before answering.</p><p>"Are you serious? Am I supposed to show up here while I smell like a Behemoth? I was still at the inn for a bath and I fell asleep in the tub. I was worried I was too late."</p><p>Zack was probably the only person on Gaia who was more worried about not arriving on time for an appointment than drowning in the bathtub.</p><p>"Besides, I didn't bring any change of clothes..." he added, sniffing the turtleneck of his top.</p><p>Now Cloud laughed and pointed to the softly lit interior of his house with a gesture of his hand.</p><p>"Come on in."</p><p> </p><p>The wooden dining table was already set with plates, bread and cutlery and Cloud's mother added a large steaming pot to complete the picture.</p><p>Candles bathed the feast in a lovely, warm light.</p><p>"So, the gentlemen may take their seats," announced Mrs. Strife, who had put on a nice, sand-coloured Sunday dress especially for her son.</p><p>For a moment, Zack's gaze changed back and forth between the straw-blonde woman and the table before he caught himself and took Cloud's mother's hand with a subtle bow.</p><p>"M'am, it's an honor to meet you. My name is Zack Fair and I belong to ShinRa like Cloud."</p><p>"Now, now, don't be formal, young man. I'm not that old. Claudia will do."</p><p>"Then, of course, I'll just be Zack to you."</p><p>Cloud had to refrain from laughing again when these two extroverted characters met and apparently got along well right away.</p><p>He had also slipped into something more comfortable - a simple white shirt with a light jacket over it and dark trousers. Fortunately, his mother had kept some of Cloud's father's clothing.</p><p>"Sit down", he told his friend, who only then noticed Cloud's new outfit.</p><p>While Zack sat down, he examined the infantryman extensively.</p><p>"Unusual to see you without the uniform. But it looks good on you," he said cheerfully and accepted a full plate of stew from Claudia with thanks.</p><p>"Thanks," Cloud muttered softly, sat down and tried not to let too much blood rush into his head.</p><p> </p><p>"So you're part of that special unit that Cloud wrote about all the time? He never stopped gushing in his letters," Mrs. Strife asked as she filled her sons plate, who then greeted her with a chastising look.</p><p>Zack finished his chewing before he began to speak.</p><p>"That's right! SOLDIER is divided into three different classes and I am first class and therefore belong to the highest," he explained and put another spoon in his mouth.</p><p>He did not mention the catastrophic conditions in which the unit was currently in.</p><p>"Zack is one of the youngest to make it into the first class," Cloud added and Claudia made big eyes.</p><p>"How old are you?"</p><p>"Turned 18 a few months ago."</p><p>"I see. Just take good care of yourself. Your poor mother will thank you"</p><p>Zack laughed heartily and almost choked on the glass of water he had just led to his mouth.</p><p>"My mum gets mail from me reliably and punctually, don't worry. She knows everything I'm up to."</p><p>Cloud listened to the pleasant conversation and happily spooned his plate empty.</p><p>It felt good to finally just be happy, if only because the two people he loved most were talking to each other.</p><p>
  
</p><p>While the boys did the dishes together after dinner, Claudia cleaned the table and then went to the bookshelf; her eyes were circling over the different backs as if she was looking for something specific.</p><p>"Mama! Mama, get away from that shelf, I know exactly what you're up to," Cloud called and dropped the plate he was drying. Fortunately, Zack's reflexes were good enough and nothing was broken.</p><p>"Too late. Already found it," said Cloud's mother triumphantly with a little red book in her hand. Comfortably, she sat back down at the table and waved Zack and Cloud over "I just want to make it clear what we just talked about, sweetheart."</p><p>She opened the book and one of the first photos, which was neatly pasted in there, showed a tiny blonde baby on the arm of a young woman grinning confidently into the camera.</p><p>"Oh, it's been such a long time...", sighed Claudia nostalgically, while Zack looked over her shoulder.</p><p>"You're cute," he teased with a grin, "and you can see immediately where he gets his good looks from.</p><p>"Right? My gorgeous boy."</p><p> </p><p>Cloud sat opposite his mother and had a great desire to rip the album right out of her hands. The fireplace would certainly be pleased with this sacrifice. Why did his mother have to fulfil this very cliché?</p><p>Since he knew full well that probably not even a forest fire would stop her from holding these photos under Zack's nose, he silently surrendered to his fate and from that point on ignored everything that left his mother's mouth.</p><p>"This was taken just before my husband was recruited," Mrs. Strife explained, pointing to a blurred photograph of her and a sternly looking, dark-eyed man holding Cloud in his arms as a toddler. Despite the seriousness of his appearance, his face radiated a certain warmth. With this photo Cloud always wondered whether he looked more like his mother or father.</p><p>Claudia insisted, of course, that her child had only the best of her own genes, but at certain moments she wistfully added that Cloud had that special warmth of his father in his eyes.</p><p>Next to the small family was another combination of father, mother and child, although the little one seemed to be a little younger than Cloud.</p><p>"These are the Lockharts from next door."</p><p>"So Tifas family?" asked Zack, who remembered the last name of the girl from the company's guide application. Claudia nodded in response.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, there it is. This is what I wanted to show you."</p><p>In addition to a photo where Cloud tried to lift a boulder and a shot of his mother sticking a plaster on his knee, there was also a picture where a 10-year-old Cloud proudly posed next to a ShinRa poster.</p><p>The poster not only showed some soldiers, but Sephiroth was clearly visible in the background.</p><p>"You see? From then on he talked about nothing else, grew his hair and started to fight with everything and everyone," Claudia explained and put the album on the table so that Zack could see it better.</p><p>"Wasn't any different with me. I wanted to be a hero so much that I ran away from home the moment I turned 14," said the SOLDIER, laughing at the resemblance between him and Cloud.</p><p>"A hero? No way, the boy just wanted to become like that nasty guy you came here with."</p><p>" Mama...", Cloud grumbled embarrassedly for a moment and his mother added reassuringly:</p><p>"It's good that this didn't happen."</p><p>"He's not so bad once you get to know him," Zack replied to Claudia's sniffles.</p><p>"Anyway. I think he is unpleasant. Particularly unlike you, Zack."</p><p>"Oh, thank you."</p><p>And the two laughed again. Until a few months ago, Cloud would probably never have allowed anyone to talk about his idol like that, not even his mother or Zack.</p><p>Now he was sitting here with them, smiling inside at Sephiroth's expense.</p><p>The hours flew by and Zack and Claudia were still talking about many different topics.</p><p>About the war, about the work at ShinRa, about Zack's family in Gongaga and that a mutual visit was urgently needed in the future.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>As midnight approached, Cloud had fallen asleep leaning on the table, but that didn't stop the other two from happily continuing their conversation.</p><p>"Well, look at that," said Mrs. Strife with a loving sigh at the sight of her son, "Someone must have been very tired."</p><p>"A lot has happened in the last few days," Zack remarked and stretched, then stood up and approached his friend.</p><p>He put Cloud's arms around his neck, reached under the boy's knees and lifted him up slowly and carefully. With equal care, he carried him to the bed and gently laid him down in the pillows, with his mother covering him and giving him a kiss on the cheek.</p><p>"It has been far too long since I put him to bed. It's good to see him again."</p><p>"I can imagine. It's one of the things I really miss."</p><p>Claudia gently stroked her son's head, then looked at Zack, who stood beside her. For the first time that evening, she was more serious than usual.</p><p>"He admires you very much, Zack. You mean a lot to him."</p><p>The SOLDIER stared thoughtfully at the ground as if he remembered something. As if he was uncomfortable with that statement. Mrs. Strife carefully stood up and approached Zack.</p><p>"I don't know why the boy is hiding the fact that he is back home and why he is so unsure of himself, but..." she said softly, and grabbed Zack's hand, "Promise me you will take good care of him."</p><p>For a while there was silence in the little house. Their eyes held each other captive and Zack felt that Claudia wouldn't let him go until he said what was out of the question for him.</p><p>"Of course, ma'am."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so sorry that it took so long to update this...<br/>First my PC and then my Graphic Tablet decided to just die on me and since both devices aren't that cheap everything dragged...</p><p>NEVERTHELESS IT IS HERE NOW AND IT IS PAINFUL!<br/>I hope you like it &lt;3</p><p>It was fun to wright Claudia interacting with her son and Zack :D</p><p>Well. One more chapter to go...and we all know that everything will be A-Ok!</p>
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